Circuit controller



. G55 AL.

CRCUIT CONTROLLER d Dec. ll, Sheets-Sheet l N VENTOR 5.

ATTOIWEY.

E. W. FOSS ET AL March 1U, 1942.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Filed Dec. ll, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 1942. B; W. Foss ET AL 2,275,180

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER A Filed Dec. 11, 195e a sheets-sheet s ifi-9 SOUTH W EST 12,6 '3' /aa 129 /z7 las 191 eles 54 mi/ HMM W- @6GB-a NVENTORS.

BY imm@ LA, LA

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 10, 1942 CIRCUIT CONTROLLER Burdette W. Foss and Walter McGee, Fort Wayne, Ind. said Foss assignor to said McGee Application December 11, 1939, Serial No. 308,632

4 Claims.

This invention relates to circuit controllers and more particularly to controllers of the type especially adapted for use in connection with tran-ic or other signals.

In regulating traffic at desired points along a throughfare and especially at intersecting or meeting highways, the time intervals during which the traiiic is allowed to proceed along the main or preferential highway and along the cross-highway are not necessarily the same. It is customary, therefore, to vary the ratio of the go interval in the main highway to the go" interval in the cross-highway. Light signals for controlling traffic are now in general use in which a red signal usually indicates stop and a green signal indicates go; and an amber signal is frequently used to indicate a change from go to stop or from stop to go. It is also desirable, in order to expedite the movement of traffic on some highways, to control the trafiic signals at two or more successive crosshighways as a group and it may be desirable at some intersections to provide signals for pedestrian traiiic and for three or more thoroughfares that meet at a common point.

it is an object of our invention to provide a traiic signal with signals for two or more highways that intersect or meet at a given point and to provide a novel controlling mechanism by means of which the cycle of operation of the signal may be regulated in accordance with the demands of traffic at such point or groups of points.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the means hereinafter described and llus trated in the accompanying drawings in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a controller unit partly in section and attached to a mounting plate.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation oi the unit.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-section of the unit removed from the supporting bracket and plate.

Fig. 4 as an elevation of one end of the unit shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the opposite end of said unit.

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line E-S of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the breaker arm shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section on line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of the breaker arm shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 1G is a side elevation partly in section of modified form of the controller unit.

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal cross-section of the latter modification.

Fig. 12 is a cross-section on line C-C oi 11. Fig. Fig. 1l.

Fig. 14 is a Fig. 11.

Fig. 15 is a Fig. 1l.

Fig. 15 is a schematic representation of a timer having the unit shown in Fig. 10, the case being in section.

Fig. 17 is a iront view of the same unit.

Fig. 13 is a schematic representation of the circuit connections between the latter timer and a signal.

Referring to the illustrative drawings, and particularly to Figs. l to 9, the controller for a single circuit comprises two cams I, 2 (Fig. 3) that are Xed on the cam sleeves or shafts 3, Il respectively. The cam sleeves are revolubly mounted cn the shaft 5, sleeve 4 being suitably secured to the revoluble shaft 5 as by the pin I5. A spacer sleeve 'I on the shaft 5 retains the cams I, 2 in proper position. Cam I is rotated by rotating the shaft 5 which drives the sleeve Il. The cams and the spacer sleeve 'I preferably are formed of suitable insulating material. Two ball or roller bearings (any suitable bearing) 8, 9 support the rings I0, II on the sleeves. The rings i0, II are formed of insulating material and are connected together by the posts I2, each post having a spacing sleeve I2 between the rings .and formed of insulating material. A hub I3 carrying a gear I 4 is attached to the outer face of the ring II. Suitable means is connected to the gear I 4 to drive the rings at a predetermined speed.

A slip ring I5 is fixed on the periphery of the ring II and a similar slip ring I t is similarly xed on the ring ID. A spindle I'I and a lug IS project from the inner face of the ring II. A breaker arm I9 is loosely mounted at one end on the spindle II and a flat spring 20 is xed to the breaker arm, the opposite or free end of the spring being attached by the screw 2| to the lug I8. This spring holds the breaker arm I5 on the cam 2. breaker arm adjacent to its free end. The free end of the spring 2D is electrically connected by the jumper 23 to the slip ring I5, so that the breaker point 22 is electrically connected by the breaker arm I9, the spring 20 and the jumper 23 to the slip ring I5. A similar breaker arm 24 having a breaker point 25 thereon is similarly 13 is a cross-section on line D-D of crosssection on line E-E of cross-section on line F--F of A breaker point 22 is fixed on thev mounted on the ring l and contacts the cam I and it is electrically connected by the similar spring 2t and jumper to the slip ring I5. The two breaker arms are of proper shape so that their breaker points are adapted to abut one another'.

The assembly shown in Fig. 3 is mounted in the bracket 21, Fig. l, and suitably held therein as by the slotted plate 28 secured to the bracket and engaged in a groove 29 formed in the projecting end of the cam sleeve 4, the outer ends of the cani sleeves and of the shaft 5 being projected through the opposite ends of the bracket. Two brushes 39, 3| are supported in insulating bushings 32, 33 respectively that are mounted in the bracket 21. The brush 33 is held in contact with the adjacent slip ring I5 by a spring 34, and it is connected to a bar mounted on the top of the bushing 32 by a shunt wire 35. The brush 3| is similarly engaged on the slip ring |53 and connected to the bar ,31 on the other bushing The bracket 21 may be secured to a plate 33 with the sleeve 3 and the shaft 5 extending through an opening 39 in said plate, which plate may be designed to support any number of the units. A dial plate 40, centered on the cam sleeve 3 and held in position by the screw 4|, carries a iixed annularly slotted or apertured member' 42 and two pointers 43, 44, cooperate with said dial.

The pointer 43 is secured to the cam sleeve 3 Y and the pointer 44 is secured to the shaft 5. By swinging the pointers in proper direction on the dial the cam sleeves 3, 4 are turned to adjust the relative positions of the two cams 2. The circuit wires 45, 46 lead from the bars 35, 31, respectively to the signal that is to be controlled.

The rotor, consisting of the gear-carrying hub the inter-connected rings |l, I the springs and the breaker arms, is rotated at a selected constant speed preferably by an electric motor M (Fig. l1) which is connected by suitable gearing to the gear I4 on the hub I3.

The unit thus far described controls a single circuit. The cams I, 2 are adjusted by swinging the pointers on the dial to the proper points in accordance with the determined interval of time the signal shall operate durinlT a complete revolution of the rotor. During such revolution the breaker arms, as they ride on the respectively adjacent cams, drop down over the ledges I', 2 on said cams in succession according to the relative peripheral spacing of said ledges, and close and separate the breaker points alternately at the determined intervals, thereby closing and opening the circuit to the signal at predetermined intervals during each revolution of the rotating unit,

Any number of the control a signal.

A modied form of units may be grouped to the unit is illustrated in Figs. 24-29, by which all signal indications are controlled. This unit has four cams, Eile, mi, |92 and H33 which are fixed respectively to the cam shafts |34, |65, |66 and |81. These cam shafts nt loosely over each other so that they may be manually rotated by the pointers M33, |29, di@ and that are attached to there respectively. The pointer m3 is attached to the shaft i lil and may be connected to the cam shaft it? by tightening the set screw lli. Spacers i I2, 13 and i i4 hold the cams in proper relation to each other. A ring ||1 of insulating material is adjacent to the cam |533, three similar rings Elfi, H2, |29 are positioned between the cams lill and and a similar ring |2| is adjacent to the cam |30. All the rings are tied together by the rods |22, |2221, |22b, having insulating sleeves |23 thereon. A gear |24 is fixed to the plate |25 formed of insulating material that is secured to the ring I2I, as by the screws |26 which extend into the rods |22. Slip rings |21, |23, |29, |33 and |3| are attached respectively to the peripheries of the'rings ||1, I|8, H9, IEB, 52|.

A breaker arm |32 (Fig. 29) nts loosely on the hollow shaft |33 that projects from the face of the ring I2I. A spring |34 is fixed at one end to the breaker arm |32 and its opposite end is secured to a stud |35 that projects from a plate |35 which is in electrical contact with the rod |22. This arm rides on the cam Iil-ll. The breaker arm |32 carries a breaker point |31, and an arm |33, carrying a breaker point |39, is attached to the arm |32 with insulation |42) between them and an insulating plate I4! on the outer face of the arm |38. A wire |42 is connected to the arm |38 and to a plate 43 that is in electrical contact with the rod |22. Thus the breaker point |31 is electrically connected to the rod |22il and the point is electrically connectcd to the rod l2'. The breaker arm 44 (Fig. 28) rides on the cam itl is similar in i'orni to the breaker arm 55 (Fig. 19) and similarly mounted on the ring |28. The spring lf!" is secured to the arm |44 and to a stud |45 on the ring |20 and a ljumper |41 is connected to the spring and to the slip ring rEhe erm ca'rying the breaker point |49 is insulated from the arm 44, the latter carrying the breaker point |53. A wire I5! is connected to the arm 43 and to the plate |52 (Fig. 29) on the ring lill, the plate being fixed to the slip ring lid. Thus breaker point |59 is electrically connected to th,` slip ring |39 and the breaker point 48 is electrically connected to the slip ring 23|.

A breaker arm |53 rides on the cani ll-l and is mounted on th-e ring IIB. lt carries two breaker points |54, |55 similarly to the breaker arm 32 (Fig. 18) and the spring 55 is secured to the arm |53 and to the stud Ilil' which contacts the plate ISS mounted on the ring i3. A jumper |53 electrically connects the plate |53 to the slip ring Ilr.

The breaker arm Hill (Fig. 26) is similar to the breaker arm |44 and is loosely mounted on the ring Il?. It rides on the cam |133. lts breaker point Iii! is electrically connected to the slip ring |21 through the spring |62, the stud 253 and the jumper |54. The stud |63 also contacts the plate |55 which is in contact with the rod |22. The other breaker point W5 is connected by the arm |51, the wire IEB and the plate |69 to the rod |2221', and a wire |19' is connected to the plate |69 and to a lug Ill that is connected to the slip ring |28.

The rotor formed by the five connected rings is mounted on the bearings |12, |13 and when in operation the breaker arms |32, |44, |575, |53 ride on the cams |00', |0|, |02, |03 respectively. The breaker points |31, |39 on the arm |32 are between the breaker points |49, on the arm |44 and the breaker points |54, on the arm |53 are between the breaker points |55, |5| on the arm |60. When the cam Itll permits the arm |32 to drop the breaker point |31 engages the breaker point |50. When the cam Il permits the arm |44 to drop the breaker point |49 engages the breaker point |39 and disengages the breaker points |31, IEE. When the cam |92 permits the arm |53 to drop the breaker point |55 engages the breaker point |6| and when the cam |53 permits the arm |63 to drop the breaker point ISS contacts the breaker point left and disengages breaker points |55 and im.

rf'he spring opposed brushes llt, |75, l, lll and |73 contact the slip ringslli, |28, |23, |30, |3| and are connected respectively to plates on the insulation Idil to which the Wires |19, |80, |8l, |32 and E83 are connected respectively. In Fig. 32 the Wire Ils connectes the breaker points |39 and |6| to the north and south G signals and to the east R signal; wire Ete connects the breaker points |551 and |55 to the north and south R signals and to the east G signal; wire |8I connects the breaker points |55 and I5!! to the source of current G; wire iti? connects breaker point |59 to the east and west A signals and Wire |83 connects the breaker point |49 to the north and south A signals. All the signals have a common return |92 tothe source of power.

The unit is driven by 'the motor |84 (Fig. 30) through the gears |35, |85, |31, |38, |89 and |25. When it is desired to change the total time cycle, the gear it? may be removed and different size of gear substituted. Gear |96 may be put in mesh with the substituted gear by releasing the thumb screw it@ and swinging the arm |9| in proper direction since the arm lill is pivoted concentric to the gear |35 and the gear |85 is mounted on the arm. Each of the pointers |93, itil, lfd, lll carries a knob at its free end which is adapted to engage in any opening or depression l92 in the front plate upon Which the unit is mounted. The duration of each signal indication is adjusted by the pointers.

What We claim is:

l. A circuit controller comprising a frame having alined bearings in its ends, a pair of sleeves each mounted in a respective bearing for rotation in said frame, cams each fixed on a respective sleeve, a shaft extending through said sleeve and having one of the sleeves fixed thereto, the other sleeve being rotatable with respect to the shaft to constitute a freely adjustable sleeve, contact arms spring held against said cams and having terminal points in opposed alinement, spaced contact rings each adjacent a respective cam and revoluble on a respective sleeve, means connecting said contact rings for simultaneous rotation of the rings, means for rotating one of said rings, brushes engaging said rings, a pair of cani setting pointers one of which is fixed to the shaft and the other to said freely adjustable sleeve, and connections between the contact points and rings.

2. A circuit controller comprising a frame having alined bearings in its ends, a pair of sleeves each mounted in a respective bearing for rotation in said frame, cams each xed on a respective sleeve, a shaft extending through said sleeve and having one of the sleeves fixed thereto, the other sleeve being rotatable with respect to the shaft to constitute a freely adjustable sleeve, contact arms spring held against said cams and having terminal points in opposed alinement,

spaced contact rings each adjacent a respective cam and revoluble on a respective sleeve, means connecting said contact rings for simultaneous rotation of the rings, means for rotating one of said rings, brushes engaging said rings, a pair of cam setting pointers one of which is fixed to the shaft and the other to said freely adjustable sleeve, and connections between the contact points, one of said contact arms having points on its opposite sides facing outwardly and the other of said contact arms being forked to embrace the free end of the first arm and provided With internally facing contact points cooperating v/ith the points on the first arm and insulated from each other, there being one contact ring for each point.

3. A circuit controller comprising a frame having alined bearings in its ends, a pair of sleeves each mounted in a respective bearing for rotation in said frame, cams each fixed on a respective sleeve, a shaft extending through said sleeve and having one of the sleeves fixed thereto, the other sleeve being rotatable with respect to the shaft to constitute a freely adjustable sleeve, contact arms spring held against said cams and having terminal points in opposed alinement, spaced contact rings each adjacent a respective cam and revoluble on a respective sleeve, means connecting said contact rings for simultaneous rotation of the rings, means for rotating one of said rings, brushes engaging said rings, a pair of cam setting pointers one of which is fixed to the shaft and the other to said freely adjustable sleeve, and connections between the Contact points and rings, other sleeves nested on the freely adjustable sleeve and each carrying a cam and a setting pointer, other contact arms engaging the last mentioned cams and provided with coacting points similar to the first mentioned points, and contactJ rings and brushes electrically connected to said other points.

4. A circuit controller comprising a frame having alined bearings in its ends, a plurality of sleeves mounted in the bearings for rotation in the frame, some of the sleeves being superimposed upon each other, cams each xed on a respective sleeve, a shaft extending through the sleeves and having one of the sleeves fixed thereto, the other sleeves being rotatable with respect to the shaft to constitute freely adjustable sleeves, contact arms spring held against said cams and having terminal points in opposed alinement, spaced contact rings each adjacent a respective cam and revoluble on a respective sleeve, means connecting said contact rings for simultaneous rotation of the rings, means for rotating one of said rings, brushes engaging said rings, cam setting pointers one of which is fixed to the shaft and the others to the freely adjustable sleeves and connections between the contact points and rings.

BURDETTE W. FOSS. WALTER MCGEE. 

